Chapter 1863: Ling God Reappears?

Mount Qianyue stood like a towering wall, its cliffs piercing vertically into the sky, resembling a javelin thrust into the earth.

"Legend has it that this mountain was formed when Master Kong fought against the Celestials, and one of their weapons was cast down and transformed into it," Ancient Sage Mo Ling explained as they flew upwards.

Zhang Xuan was also filled with emotion, marveling at the incredible craftsmanship of nature.

The group quickly reached the top of the mountain, where there was a flat area spanning nearly five acres. In its center was a circular stone platform, about three meters in diameter, which from a distance resembled a natural altar.

"Is this the place to communicate with the heavens?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Emperor Chen Yong nodded, looking even weaker.

"What treasures are needed for the sacrifice? I'll go prepare them!" Zhang Xuan offered, seeing Emperor Chen Yong's state and feeling it wasn't appropriate to press further.

Emperor Chen Ling's sacrifice had required countless herbs, ores, and rare items, even consuming the lives of a hundred thousand people to break through the spatial barrier and summon the 'deity'. Zhang Xuan knew that his own desire to see Luo Ruoxi would likely not be easy either.

"No need, the sacrificial items are already prepared..."

Emperor Chen Yong turned to look at Liu Yang.

Liu Yang went to the stone platform without a word. After a brief wait, the Immortal Realm expert he had previously given instructions to approached and handed him a ring.

With a flick of his wrist, a pile of golden banners appeared before him, which he then planted around the stone platform.

"Begin!"

After doing all this, Liu Yang gave the command.

The Immortal Realm expert nodded and left. About an hour later, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt a jolt in his heart. He quickly turned his head and saw beams of light shooting out from eight directions around them. These beams seemed to be drawn by the formation banners on the stone platform and quickly converged.

"It's eight Grand Temples performing sacrifices simultaneously," Ancient Sage Mo Ling explained. "Tens of thousands of people are reporting to the heavens at the same time, their collective will forming a unified force..."

After observing, Ancient Sage Mo Ling understood.

"Grand Temples?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"They are places where the Foreign Tribe people offer sacrifices to their ancestors," Ancient Sage Mo Ling clarified. "Each such sacrifice requires a dedicated host and the gathering of tens of thousands of Foreign Tribe members to complete. For eight Grand Temples to perform sacrifices simultaneously, only Emperor Yong possesses such influence. Others would be completely unable to achieve it."

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

Previously, Emperor Chen Yong had mentioned that to perform the sacrifice, he first needed help to kill Emperor Ling and Emperor Xing and gain the support of the entire Foreign Tribe. Now, it seemed this was indeed the case.

Such a large-scale sacrifice could not be completed by just one or two people.

Liu Yang's earlier instructions must have been for that Immortal Realm expert to prepare these things.

The eight beams of light converged on the formation banners, and the stone platform soon took on a warm, lustrous color. Like a mirror, it gathered the numerous light rays and shone them vertically towards the sky.

"It's my turn..."

With a faint smile, Emperor Chen Yong walked to the very center and sat down cross-legged.

Seeing his actions, Liu Yang's eyes reddened.

"I, Wu Chen, am willing to sacrifice my life to the heavens, praying and begging to meet the Spirit God..."

Boom!

As his voice rang out, a ball of flame seemed to ignite within Emperor Chen Yong, burning fiercely and consuming him in an instant.

Zhang Xuan's expression changed.

He had thought that the so-called sacrifice only required precious items, never expecting it would demand the other's life.

Even if the other party was gravely injured and might not survive the day anyway, Zhang Xuan did not want to see him burn himself for the sake of Zhang Xuan meeting Luo Ruoxi.

With a flicker of his body, Zhang Xuan appeared before him, and the Heaven's Path zhenqi within him immediately enveloped Emperor Chen Yong.

"Stop..."

He wanted to see Luo Ruoxi, but he did not wish for blood to be shed for it.

His principle was not to owe favors, not even a little.

"Anyway, I don't have much time left to live. To be able to do something for Young Master, I'm perfectly willing!" Emperor Chen Yong said with a faint smile, not absorbing the Heaven's Path zhenqi surging towards him from Zhang Xuan.

His expression remained unchanged, as if it wasn't fire burning around his body, but a warm spring.

For cultivators, self-detonation was easy; one's consciousness severed in an instant, without the worry of pain or torment. However, to sacrifice oneself in this manner, being slowly consumed by fierce flames from within and without, not dying instantly but enduring stubbornly, was like undergoing 'death by a thousand cuts'. This was truly the most painful.

"If I want to see Ruoxi, I'll find my own way..."

Feeling an inexplicable discomfort in his heart, Zhang Xuan waved his hand. Since Emperor Chen Yong disagreed, he would destroy the stone platform and formation banners to forcibly stop the sacrifice.

He neither wanted to accept nor was willing to accept a sacrifice bought with a life.

However, before his power could descend, a powerful aura descended from the sky, enveloping Emperor Chen Yong in a blink of an eye.

Enveloped by the aura, the flames burning on Emperor Yong's body gradually began to extinguish. His constantly weakening soul and physical body actually began to slowly regain vitality.

Boom!

Between heaven and earth, a colossal gateway seemed to appear. A towering figure emerged on the altar, reaching to the sky and touching the earth, exuding an inviolable majesty.

"Ruoxi..."

He quickly looked, then Zhang Xuan was stunned: "Who are you?"

The Spirit God who appeared from the sacrifice was not Luo Ruoxi, but a stranger.

Both their aura and gaze confirmed that Zhang Xuan had never seen them before.

"The Spirit God has already returned to her own realm. I am merely her servant!"

The figure turned its head to look at Zhang Xuan: "You must be Zhang Xuan!"

Zhang Xuan's fists tightened.

Before Zhang Xuan could speak, the figure in the air looked over, its expression devoid of joy or sorrow. "When the Spirit God departed, she instructed me to offer assistance if needed... Though I was reluctant, I agreed! However, I wish to remind you that the Spirit God's status is revered, far beyond what a mere mortal like you can aspire to. I advise you... to abandon this notion, or you will bring harm to yourself and others!"

Boom!

The voice carried a strong sense of oppression. Although Zhang Xuan possessed combat power comparable to regeneration from a single drop of blood, he still felt as if the blood in his entire body was imprisoned, leaving him without any power to resist.

The other party was just a mere phantom, yet they were far more powerful than the 'deity' Emperor Chen Ling had summoned earlier!

"My affairs... are none of your concern!" Zhang Xuan retorted. "Just tell me who the Spirit God is and where she is..."

"The Spirit God naturally resides in the Spirit God Palace! Very well, that's all I'll say. If you can break through the spatial restraints and meet me as Master Kong did, I will naturally tell you her whereabouts. If you cannot, then don't even hope for it..."

With a huff, the figure flicked its sleeve, and its light grew dimmer and dimmer.

"Wait!" Zhang Xuan looked up.

The figure paused.

"Did the Spirit God instruct you to offer assistance if needed?" Zhang Xuan asked.

The figure frowned slightly but still nodded. "Indeed! However, I will only act once. You must choose your request carefully; do not waste this opportunity."

"I've decided!" Zhang Xuan declared, waving his hand and pointing. "This Wu Chen, he is the Spirit God's page, gravely injured and on the verge of death at any moment. Please save him..."

"Young Master..."

Emperor Chen Yong's eyes reddened.